Abide and Bear Fruit

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” – John 15:4

There are no halfway places in Christ. You are either in Him, or you are not. You are either abiding in Him, or you are not. This is the stark reality Jesus presents in John 15. The branch that abides in the vine lives. The one that does not, withers. The difference is not subtle, it is life and death.

But within this abiding, there are depths to be explored. A believer can be truly in Christ and yet experience a varied intensity in abiding. Jesus points to two key indicators of this depth: His Word dwelling in us and our love for one another.

Jesus says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). The measure to which His Word abides in us is the measure to which our prayers align with His will. This is not about manipulating God but about being so shaped by His truth that our desires become reflections of His own.

A branch that barely clings to the vine does not draw much nourishment. A Christian who barely clings to the Word does not bear much fruit. This is why we have to steep ourselves in Scripture, not merely skimming it, but letting it sink into the depths of our souls, shaping our thinking, reordering our affections, and directing our steps.

Jesus also ties abiding to love. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). This is no mere suggestion; no it is the natural fruit of abiding. Just as a grapevine produces grapes, not thorns, the Christian who abides in Christ produces love, not indifference.

And yet, this is where we feel a tension. It is easy to love when others love us in return. But what about when love is costly? When it requires patience, endurance, and sacrifice? The command remains: Abide in Christ, and love as He loved.

The choice is clear: abide in Him and bear fruit, or wither apart from Him. But the promise is also clear: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). True discipleship is marked by an abiding that demonstrates itself by having the Word saturating (not just spicing) our lives and love overflowing toward others.

Examine yourself today. Are you abiding in Christ? Is His Word taking root in you? Is His love flowing through you? Draw near to the vine. Take in His Word. Love those around you. And in doing so, bear much fruit to the glory of the Father.